Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Verse 2 — Meaning & Life Application
Sanskrit Shloka (Original)
अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन | प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ||८-२||
Transliteration
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṃ ko.atra dehe.asminmadhusūdana . prayāṇakāle ca kathaṃ jñeyo.asi niyatātmabhiḥ ||8-2||
Word-by-Word Meaning
📖 Translation
8.2 Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu (Krishna)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-controlled?
।।8.2।। और हे मधुसूदन ! यहाँ अधियज्ञ कौन है? और वह इस शरीर में कैसे है? और संयत चित्त वाले पुरुषों द्वारा अन्त समय में आप किस प्रकार जाने जाते हैं,
How to Apply This Verse in Modern Life
💼 At Work & Career
In your professional life, seek to understand how your work and efforts (Adhiyajna, often translated as 'sacrifice' or dedicated action) can be imbued with a higher purpose or ethical framework. Cultivate self-discipline, focus, and integrity ('self-controlled') in your tasks, recognizing that consistent, mindful effort creates lasting value and internal satisfaction, transcending mere external outcomes.
🧘 For Stress & Anxiety
When facing moments of intense pressure, significant change, or profound loss (metaphorically, 'the time of death'), turn inwards. Develop self-control through practices like mindfulness, meditation, or introspection to maintain equanimity. Understanding the 'Adhiyajna' within – your innate capacity for purposeful, spiritual action – helps anchor you amidst external turbulence, fostering inner peace and resilience.
❤️ In Relationships
Approach relationships with a sense of 'Adhiyajna' – a willingness to offer selfless love, understanding, and dedicated effort. Practice self-control in your interactions, managing emotions, practicing empathy, and communicating thoughtfully. This discipline helps navigate conflicts, strengthen bonds, and endure life's transitions together, fostering deeper, more meaningful connections rooted in mutual respect and spiritual awareness.
Solves These Life Problems
Key Message in One Line
“True spiritual understanding, enabling one to connect with the divine essence even at life's end, stems from disciplined inquiry into the sacred within.”
🕉️ Council of Sages
Compare interpretations from revered Acharyas and scholars
🌍 English Interpretations
Swami Sivananda
8.2 अधियज्ञः Adhiyajna? कथम् how? कः who? अत्र here? देहे in body? अस्मिन् this? मधुसूदन O Madhusudana? प्रयाणकाले at the time of death? च and? कथम् how? ज्ञेयः knowable? असि art? नियतात्मभिः by the selfcontrolled.Commentary Arjuna put seven estions to the Lord1. What is that Brahman Is it Brahman with the Upadhis (limiting adjuncts) or Brahman without them2. Is it the aggregate of the senses or individual consciousness (PratyakChaitanya) or distinct? pure consciousness3. What is Karma Is it Yajna Or? is it distinct from Yajna4. Adhibhuta is knowledge of the Bhutas. Is this the knowledge of the elements or something else5. Adhidaiva is that which is associated with the gods. Is this the meditation on the gods Or? is it the consciousness associated with the Suryamandala? etc.6. Adhiyajna is that which is associated with Yajnas or Vedic rituals. Is this the Para Brahman (Supreme Being) or any special god Is it of the same form (Tadatmyarupa) or is it entirely nondifferent (Abheda) Does it exist in the body or outside it If it exists in the body? is it the intellect (Buddhi) or distinct from it7. At the time of death? when the memory is lost and when the senses become cold (i.e.? whenthey lose their vitality) how can the man of onepointedness and of steadfast mind know the LordO Lord Madhusudana Thou art allmerciful. Thou hast killed Madhu and removed the miseries of the people. Even so Thou canst remove my difficulties and doubts very easily. This is nothing for Thee? the omniscient Lord. (This is the reason why Arjuna addresses the Lord by the name Madhusudana.)
Shri Purohit Swami
8.2 Who is it who rules the spirit sacrifice in many; and at the time of death how may those who have learned self-control come to the knowledge of Thee?
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
8.2. Who is Lord-of-sacrifices (adhiyajna) [and] how ? Who in this body ? O slayer of Madhu ! How are You to be realised by the self-controlled ones at the time of their journey (i.e., death) also ?
Swami Adidevananda
8.2 O Madhusudana, how, and who, is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds? 8.2 Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O destroyer of Madhu (Krishna)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to be known by the self-controlled? 8.2 In order to settle these estions seriatim -
Swami Gambirananda
8.2 O Madhusudana, how, and who, is the entity existing in the sacrifice here in this body? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by people of concentrated minds?
🇮🇳 Hindi Interpretations
Swami Chinmayananda
।।8.2।। पूर्व अध्याय के अन्तिम दो श्लोकों में अकस्मात् ब्रह्म अध्यात्म अधिभूत आदि जैसे नवीन पारिभाषिक शब्दों का प्रयोग किया गया है और कहा है कि ज्ञानी पुरुष मरण काल में भी चित्त युक्त होकर मुझे इनके सहित जानते हैं। इससे अर्जुन कुछ भ्रमित हो गया।इस अध्याय का प्रारम्भ अर्जुन के प्रश्न के साथ होता है जिसमें वह उन शास्त्रीय शब्दों की निश्चित परिभाषायें जानना चाहता है जिनका प्रयोग भगवान् ने अपने उपदेश में किया था। वह यह भी जानने को उत्सुक है कि जीवन काल में सतत आध्यात्मिक साधना के अभ्यास के फलस्वरूप प्राप्त पूर्ण आत्मसंयम के द्वारा मरणकाल में भी आत्मा का अनुभव किस प्रकार प्राप्त किया जा सकता है।भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण प्रत्येक शब्द की परिभाषा देते हुए कहते हैं --
Swami Ramsukhdas
।।8.2।। व्याख्या--'पुरुषोत्तम किं तद्ब्रह्म'--हे पुरुषोत्तम वह ब्रह्म क्या है अर्थात् ब्रह्म शब्दसे क्या समझना चाहिये'किमध्यात्मम्'--अध्यात्म शब्दसे आपका क्या अभिप्राय है'किं कर्म'--कर्म क्या है अर्थात् कर्म शब्दसे आपका क्या भाव है'अधिभूतं च किं प्रोक्तम्'--आपने जो अधिभूत शब्द कहा है उसका क्या तात्पर्य है'अधिदैवं किमुच्यते'--अधिदैव किसको कहा जाता है'अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्' -- इस प्रकरणमें अधियज्ञ शब्दसे किसको लेना चाहिये। वह,अधियज्ञ इस देहमें कैसे है'मधुसूदन प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः'--हे मधुसूदन जो पुरुष वशीभूत अन्तःकरणवाले हैं अर्थात् जो संसारसे सर्वथा हटकर अनन्यभावसे केवल आपमें ही लगे हुए हैं उनके द्वारा अन्तकालमें आप कैसे जाननेमें आते हैं अर्थात् वे आपके किस रूपको जानते हैं और किस प्रकारसे जानते हैं सम्बन्ध --अब भगवान् आगेके दो श्लोकोंमें अर्जुनके छः प्रश्नोंका क्रमसे उत्तर देते हैं।
Swami Tejomayananda
।।8.2।। और हे मधुसूदन ! यहाँ अधियज्ञ कौन है? और वह इस शरीर में कैसे है? और संयत चित्त वाले पुरुषों द्वारा अन्त समय में आप किस प्रकार जाने जाते हैं,
📜 Sanskrit Commentaries
Sri Madhavacharya
।।8.1 -- 8.2।।नमः श्रीमते कृष्णाय। ँ़ मरणकालकर्त्तव्यगत्याद्यस्मिन्नध्याय उपदिशति।
Sri Anandgiri
।।8.2।।साधियज्ञं चेत्यत्राधियज्ञशब्देन यज्ञमधिकृतो विज्ञानात्मा वा परदेवता वेति प्रश्नान्तरं प्रकरोति -- अधियज्ञ इति। स च कथं केन प्रकारेण ब्रह्मत्वेन चिन्तनीयः किं तादात्म्येन किं वात्यन्ताभेदेनेत्याह -- कथमिति। सर्वथापि स किमस्मिन्देहे वर्तते ततो बहिर्वा देहे चेत्स कोऽत्र बुद्ध्यादिस्तद्व्यतिरिक्तो वेति जिज्ञासया ब्रूते -- कोऽत्रेति। अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्रेति न प्रश्नभेदकः[दः] कथमिति तु प्रकारभेदविवक्षयेति द्रष्टव्यम्। यत्तु समाहितचित्तानामुक्तं यत्प्रयाणकालेऽपि भगवदनुसंधानं सिध्यतीति तदयुक्तमुत्क्रमणदशायां करणग्रामवैयग्र्याच्चित्तसमाधानानुपपत्तिरित्यभिप्रेत्याह -- प्रयाणेति।
Sri Vallabhacharya
।।8.2।।अधियज्ञश्च कः स चाधियज्ञोऽत्र देहे कथ ज्ञेयः। प्रयाणकाले चैभिर्नियतात्मभिः कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि।
Sridhara Swami
।।8.2।। किंच -- अधियज्ञ इति। अत्र देहे यो यज्ञो वर्तते तस्मिन्कोऽधियज्ञः। अधिष्ठाता प्रयोजकः फलदाता च क इत्यर्थः। स्वरूपं पृष्ट्वा अधिष्ठानप्रकारं पृच्छति। कथं केन प्रकारेणासावस्मिन्देहे स्थितो यज्ञमधितिष्ठतीत्यर्थः। यज्ञग्रहणं सर्वकर्मणामुपलक्षणार्थम्। अन्तकाले च नियतचित्तैः पुरुषैः कथं केनोपायेन ज्ञेयोऽसि।